“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills . . .”
~ King David ~
7 Marcel Street, Lakeville, Westmorland County,
New Brunswick, Canada
E1H 1G6
506-383-4995
November 2011
Dear Cousins,
What a busy fall this has been. Bill and I enjoyed a trip to Long Island, New York in October to visit his sister and a brief visit with my sister on the way home. Love the corn on the cob in Long Island in the fall, and this year’s didn’t disappoint. The leaves were changing their colors in New England, making for a beautiful drive both ways. Then it was back to work. I have little time for research and writing right now, but I hope you will enjoy this bit of our family story. We enjoyed our recent visit with my brother Paul and his wife Ruth a few weeks ago. You can see a silly picture of Paul and me on my Facebook page.
On November 11th, we remembered. It seems to me that a few years ago, this holiday slipped by with barely a notice, but now, we are paying attention again. That is a good thing, “Lest we forget.” Both of my grandfathers served in World War I, and my father and his father served in World War II. Two of my nephews and one of their wives currently serve in the American Armed Forces. And climbing the branches of our family tree, many more of our cousins and our ancestors serve or have served in several wars: in Afganistan, in Viet Nam, in Korea, in WW II and I, in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War, and probably the list goes on.
In this newsletter, I will share with you some stories of three of our kinfolk who are buried in Arlington National Cemetery. You will notice that the gates of this cemetery are the header photo for this letter. I copied the photo from Find a Grave. It was submitted by James Seidelman on 08/01/2004.
SYMPATHY
Hazel Freeman
I had an email from Byron Holmes telling me of the death of his aunt. Hazel Freeman’s connection to our family was very close. Her sister, Viola, married Clifton H Holmes. Hazel and Viola are daughters of Joseph and Lillian Freeman. Joseph was from Massachusetts and Lillian was originally from Canada. Until a few months ago, her great niece, Laura Dropps, cared for Hazel in her home. I know from our emails that she is missed. Our sympathy goes to Trace, Byron and Heather and their families.
Hazel W. Freeman
September 22, 2011Hazel W. Freeman, 95 years old, died in Marian Manor Nursing Home, on Thursday morning, Sept. 22, 2011.
Born in Lunenburg, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Lillian (Marsh) Freeman. Hazel was a graduate of Taunton High School and for over 30 years was an administrative assistant at Taunton State Hospital.
She is the sister of Viola E. Holmes of Berkley and aunt of Heather Dropps, Orin Holmes and Byron Holmes all of Berkley. She was the great aunt of Clinton and Jonathan Holmes, Lois McCoy, Laura and Eric Dropps and the great- great aunt of . . .
Funeral Information
Private family graveside services will be held in the Berkley Common Cemetery. Arrangements by the Crapo-Hathaway Funeral Home, 350 Somerset Ave., Taunton, MA.
Ronald Reeder
I found this obituary quite by accident as I was researching the family of Abner and Harriet Holmes Jones. I do not know the family.
REEDER, RONALD (1960 – 2011) Ronald Reeder passed away at his residence on Thursday, September 15, 2011. Born in Moncton, NB, he was the son of the late Allen and the late Dorothy (Steeves) Reeder. He was employed at Atlantic Wholesalers in Moncton. Ronald was an avid hunter and loved spending time outdoors. He was a very generous person and had a big heart. He will be sadly missed by his girlfriend, Marie-Jean Martin, his sister, Marilyn (Michael) Henry, two brothers, Robert Reeder (Wendy) and Gary (Janice), his niece, Sheila Henry (Andrew King), three nephews, James Henry (Melissa Wilkins), Marc Reeder and Mitchell Reeder as well as one grand niece, Callia King. In keeping with Ronald’s wishes there will be no visitation or funeral service. Donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or to the Diabetes Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Interment at Fair Haven Memorial Gardens. Arrangements entrusted to Fair Haven Funeral Home, 1177 Salisbury Road, Moncton. An online book of condolences may be signed at www.fairhavenmemorial.ca.
Ronald Reeder—Allen and Dorothy Steeves Reeder – James and Coral Jones Reeder – Cuthbert and Edna Hicks Jones – Abner and Harriet Holmes Jones – Daniel and Charlotte Hoyt Holmes
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
The Arlington National Cemetery of Arlington, Virginia, is the resting place of some American soldiers. I found three of our family members in this cemetery, and given that this is the month to remember, I thought I would share a little bit about their lives and contributions. From the website http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil, "The grounds of Arlington National Cemetery honor those who have served our nation by providing a sense of beauty and peace for our guests. The rolling green hills are dotted with trees that are hundreds of years in age and complement the gardens found throughout the 624 acres of the cemetery. This impressive landscape serves as a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.
Lieutenant General Edward Holmes Underhill
Edward Holmes Underhill was born on July 7, 1907 in Petitcodiac, New Brunswick, to Carl F and Ella Holmes Underhill. He had six siblings. He died on October 23, 1983 in Southern Pines, North Carolina, and is buried with his wife, Marjorie Bramer Underhill, in the Arlington National Cemetery. He and Marjorie had one son, Edward Holmes Jr. Edward is in the Charles and Phoebe McMonagle Holmes line. What follows is from http://www.af.mil. I also used the Underhill Genealogy book, page 976, and Find a Grave. Discussing this with my mother, she told me that he visited the farm several times. On one occasion he brought my Gramp a motorcycle. She remembers that he brought his son to Magnetic Hill in Moncton. They went down and up, down and up, down and up . . . for the better part of an afternoon. I guess they didn’t have to pay the $2 fee back then.
Lieutenant General Edward H Underhill
Retired July 31, 1964. Died October 23, 1983
General Underhill was appointed an aviation cadet in October, 1927, and a year later . . . was rated a pilot, commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Reserve, and assigned to active duty. He received his regular commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps in May, 1929. During the first ten years of his military career, he received the peacetime assignments then afforded an Air Corps Officer, including duty as an engineering officer, flying instructor and squadron commander, and graduated from the Air Corps Technical School. One of those years he spent in the Panama Canal Zone . . .
In 1939, General Underhill became director of flying of the Air Corps Advanced Flying School at Brooks Field, Texas. In 1942, he was appointed executive officer at that station. The following May he assumed command of the Army Air Force Glider School at Dalhart, Texas. In January 1943, he was named director of training at the Army air Force Central Instructor School at Randolph Field, Texas, and the following November assumed command of Brooks Field, Texas. In April, 1944, he became commander of Liberal (Kansas) Army Air Field.
General Underhill was assigned to the South Pacific Theater in August, 1945, to become assistant chief of staff of the Fifth Air Force. In April, 1946, he assumed command of the Third Bomb Group in that theater. He was appointed commander of the 314th Composite Wing in the South Pacific in January, 1947.
In May, 1948, General Underhill returned to the Zone of Interior and the following August entered the National War College from which he graduated in June, 1949. He then became deputy director of military personnel at Air Force Headquarters. In October, 1950, he became acting director and was appointed director in November. Two months later he again became deputy of military personnel.
Having received his temporary and permanent promotion to Brigadier General in 1950 and 1951, respectively, General Underhill left for Japan and the post of deputy for personnel, Headquarters Far Eastern Air Forces in December, 1951. Nine months later he became the 5th Air Force’s vice commander in Korea.
Appointment to director of the Joint Air Tactical Support Board, Pope Air Force Base, NC, followed his Korean tour of duty in September of 1953. Within a year, he was named vice commander, Air Training Command, and promoted to Major General.
In April, 1957, General Underhill assumed the dual command of Eastern Air Defense Force and Eastern North American Air Defense Region . . . with headquarters at Stewart Air Force Base, NY.
Following this, he was assigned as senior Air Force member to the Military Studies and Liaison Division, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, Office of the Secretary of Defense, in August of 1959.
He served as Chief of Staff U.S. European Command from July, 1961 to June of 1963. On June 1, 1963, he assumed the new duties of chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board. Along with these duties . . . he received the additional duty of being the senior Air Force member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations, which is effective August 1, 1963.
(Updated as of Aug. 1, 1963)
Edward Holmes Underhill – Carl and Ella Holmes Underhill -- Charles and Phoebe McMonagle Holmes – Daniel and Charlotte Hoyt Holmes
Captain Robert Newcomb
Robert C Newcomb – Horace and Hester Fuller Newcomb – Robert A and Annie Jones Newcomb – Abner and Harriet Holmes Jones – Daniel and Charlotte Hoyt Holmes
Major Richard Rod-Walt Holmes
Richard Rod-Walt Holmes was born on 26 September, 1939, in Brewer, Maine, to Richard W. Holmes and Dorothy Lynk. He lived in Orono, Maine, until joining the U.S. Army in 1958. Richard enjoyed various assignments during his Army career, which included Chief of Protocol at the Presidio in San Francisco and Chief of Disability Retirement at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He spent two difficult tours of duty in Vietnam. Richard retired in 1978 with the rank of Major.
Richard first married Linda Sheih. They had two sons, Richard and Mark. Linda died in 1974, and in 1976 Richard married Paula Rackers Harris. Richard's favorite activities were golfing, cooking, and travelling with Paula all over the world. He died unexpectedly on 30 May 2002 at their farm in Kentucky. Richard was well loved and will always be missed.
Richard is in the William Nelson and Anna Columbia Heath Holmes line.
Written by Paula Rackers Harris Holmes.
Richard is in the William Nelson and Anna Columbia Heath Holmes line.
Written by Paula Rackers Harris Holmes.
Richard Rod-Walt Holmes – Richard W and Dorothy Lynk Holmes – Walter W and Mary L Weatherbee Holmes – William N and Anna C Heath Holmes – Daniel and Charlotte Hoyt Holmes
1927 AND 1928 REUNION OF THE
DANIEL HOLMES FAMILY HISTORY ASSOCIATION
Liz and I worked on these reunions together, and the more we worked, the more confused we became. We sent out requests from family members to view the blog and Facebook page about the reunion and help us if they could, to no avail. So, I am not satisfied with the final installment of this year about the Holmes Family Reunions of the 1920’s, but perhaps it will prompt someone who knows more about it to shed some light on the situation. If not, it remains one of our mysteries. We have two photographs and one write up. For the time being, I am going to assume that the first photograph was taken at a reunion in 1927. Under the picture, someone has written “1927 (1924?)” However, I have nothing in writing about a reunion that year.
I do believe that the people in the back row are Peter Holmes, his wife Hannah Burpee Holmes, Carrie Holmes Steeves, William Nelson Holmes and his wife, Anna Columbia Heath Holmes. Probably the next lady is Ruth Ballantyne. Liz noted that the ladies are all in their hats, so they probably had their photograph taken after going to the Lincoln Congregational Church service. I had a chuckle about the fellow in the front left – he looks like he is texting or changing the channel. Does anyone know old cars well enough to identify the year of that model in the background?
What follows is the newspaper write-up about the 1928 Holmes Family Gathering, and the photograph.
LINCOLN
Dated 1928
Family Reunions the Past Week –
Late Locals and Personal Mention
From our Regular Correspondent
LINCOLN- Aug. 22 – The annual Holmes Reunion was held on Aug. 16 at Mattanawcook Lake and a fine day was spent in the exchange of greetings and family remembrances. The following were present: Mr. and Mrs. William N. Holmes, Los Angeles, Cal.; Mrs. Carrie Steeves, Boston; Harry Holmes, Jacksonville, Fla; Mrs. Maude Glockson, Louisville, Ky; Mrs. Della Chadwick, China, Maine; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Holmes; Bertha and Clinton (sic) Holmes, Massachusetts; Mrs. Hannah Holmes, Sangerville; Mr. and Mrs. Walter Steeves, Louise, Jerome and Elinor Steeves: Mr. and Mrs. K A Ballantyne; Miss Ruth Ballantyne, Mrs. Kate Ballantyne; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ballantyne; Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Holmes, Carlton Holmes, Jean Weathebee, Cony Hyde, Lincoln.
The people listed in the article, and their approximate age at the time, are as follows.
William Nelson Holmes (82) and his wife, Anna Columbia Heath Holmes (77). William was the son of Daniel and Charlotte Holmes.
Carrie Holmes Steeves (80). Carrie was the daughter of Daniel and Charlotte, and the widow of C. Alfred Steeves.
Harry Holmes (56). Harry Sanborn Holmes was the son of James and Augusta Corey Holmes, and grandson of Daniel and Charlotte.
Maude Holmes Glockson (50) ( aka Glocksen or Glocksien) was Harry’s sister, and wife of John Glocksien.
Della (Idella) Holmes Chadwick (54) was another sister of Harry, and the widow of Hadley Chadwick.
Charles Holstead (48) and Elizabeth Pearl (41) Kimball Holmes. Charles was the son of William and Anna Holmes. His children were Rae (19), Bertha (15) and Clifton (13). Rae is not mentioned in the article.
Hannah Burpee Holmes (73) was the recent widow of Peter Ketchum Holmes, who was the son of Daniel and Charlotte.
Walter Willis (39) and Villa Florina Warren (36) Steeves. Walter was the son of Carrie Steeves and the late Alfred Steeves and the grandson of Daniel and Charlotte. Their children in attendance were Louise (14), Jerome (11), and Eleanor (7).
Kingsley Allison (52) and Laura Ellen Hall (54) Ballantyne. Kingsley was the son of Robert and Sarah Louise Holmes Ballantyne, and the grandson of Daniel and Charlotte. Their only child, Ruth H Ballantyne (24) was a teacher in Lincoln, and several of our family members remember being in her class.
Kate (Catherine) Warren Ballantyne (57) was the widow of Daniel W Ballantyne, who was the son of Robert and Sarah Louise Holmes Ballantyne, and the grandson of Daniel and Charlotte.
R. Roy (27) and Ruth Rossnagel (20) Ballantyne. Roy was the son of Kate Warren and the late Daniel Ballantyne.
Walter Wendell (52) and Mary Lucinda Weatherbee (50) Holmes. Walter was the son of William and Anna Holmes.
Carleton Holmes (18) was the son of Walter and Mary Holmes.
Jean Weatherbee (9). Jean’s mother died when she was very young. Her father was Mary Weatherbee’s brother, and Walter and Mary raised her. She was like a sister to Richard and Carleton Holmes.
Cony Hyde (17) was the step-son of Jennie Louise Ballantyne Hyde and the son of John F and the late Olive Carey Hyde. Jennie was the daughter of Kate and the late Daniel Ballantyne. In the 1930 US Census, Cony was boarding with Robert and Ruth Ballantyne.
A note from Roger Holmes, April 19, 2012, about the photo: "I was looking at your . . . picture. I can identify my father, Carleton Holmes, who was 18 at the time. He is in the back with his arm on a tree trunk. He must be standing on something as he was just average height at that time . . . Walter Holmes, I believe, is the first person in the middle row and standing directly behind him is my grandmother, Mary Weatherbee Holmes. "
A note from Roger Holmes, April 19, 2012, about the photo: "I was looking at your . . . picture. I can identify my father, Carleton Holmes, who was 18 at the time. He is in the back with his arm on a tree trunk. He must be standing on something as he was just average height at that time . . . Walter Holmes, I believe, is the first person in the middle row and standing directly behind him is my grandmother, Mary Weatherbee Holmes. "
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to Paula Holmes, widow of Richard Holmes, for contributing to and editing what I have written in the Arlington National Cemetery portion of the newsletter. Thanks to Liz Steeves for her contributions, photographs and editing of the Holmes Reunion section. Thank you to Byron Holmes for letting me know about his Aunt Hazel. Thanks to Roger and Bonnie Holmes for telling me about Jean Weatherbee. I’ve wondered for a long time.
As always, if you notice any errors or omissions, please let me know.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS
To you and yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Content New Year 2012. “God bless us everyone.” ~ Tiny Tim
Peg
Peggy Vasseur
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